


Trio of Buffy Season 5/Angel Season 2 Post-Eps that Were Overtaken by Events

by Djinn



Category: Angel: the Series, Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-17
Updated: 2016-10-17
Packaged: 2018-08-22 23:20:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,763
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8305106
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Djinn/pseuds/Djinn
Summary: All of these were possible outcomes at the time they were written but quickly overtaken by events--the perils of writing for a show currently airing.  But also the fun.  Some hold up better than others.Chapter 1 - Sinking is a "Listening to Fear" post-ep.  At the time I wrote this, there were only possibilities for how the Riley issue could play out. Now that it is over, this is resigned to the realm of AU. But I still like it.Chapter 2 - Not So Stupid was written before "Crush."  Harmony demanded a story of her own, and who am I to argue with her?Chapter 3 - Love is Blonde was written before "Disharmony."





	1. Sinking

It's like a drug. Hell, it is a drug. I can't stop, don't want to stop. I like it. 

I shouldn't be saying this. Shouldn't confess how good I feel when I'm with them. When I let them touch me, bite me. When I feel the blood leaving my veins and the intoxicating apathy filling me. It hurts at first. Teeth ripping my flesh, stabbing fire as they start to suck. I have to fight to stay still, to not reach for the stake. To not do to them what I did to Sandy. That was out of fear, done too fast the moment I realized that I liked what I was feeling way too much. Sandy. I regret that.

I worry that I'll be caught. I made them pick a less conspicuous place to bite. The arm is so much easier to hide. But nobody's noticed. Buffy is too caught up in taking care of her mom and sister to pay much attention to what I'm doing. So I keep going back. Safe for now. Safe as long as it's my secret.

##

Blighter thinks nobody knows. Believes word hasn't got around about him, even to a demon non grata like me. Vampire junkie, that's what they call him. And he is, too. You can see it just by looking at him. The way he seeks them out, the furtive conversation, the hasty exit. I've followed him a few times. Just for the sheer fun of seeing Captain America giving vein to one of my kind. The irony appeals to me.

I could ruin him, too. If I wanted. Tell the slayer what her boyfriend's been up to. But I won't. Not right now anyway. She has enough to do with her mum and the young one. Probably wouldn't be able to appreciate it anyway. I'll save it for a better time. Besides, with him in the opium den so to speak, it leaves my way open to be with her. With her, my enemy. Buffy.

She's like a drug. She hates me and I know it. She told me it would never be me. But she lets me in when no one else even knows she needs someone. She talks to me now, maybe without even realizing how much she's saying. If I didn't love her, I would have everything I needed to destroy her. But I can't destroy her. I feel high when I'm with her. Strung out on the thrill of being around the bane of my kind. Of touching her, of entering her house whenever I want. Of knowing her, wanting her. 

I'm getting closer. Every day that he's not here and I am, I get closer. He better watch his step.

##

Where's Riley? The gang won't say it outright, but I know he's let them down somehow. I see it when Xander talks to him; he has that "disappointed in you" look only Xander can get. And Willow, she seems more withdrawn around him. I don't know what's up with him. And I don't have time to find out. Mom needs me. Dawn needs me. And there's Glory out there to find and stop, or, who am I kidding, to at least elude. I can't spend time worrying about Riley. He'll come around. 

Have to check on mom. She's recovering so slowly. But they think she's going to be okay. At least I don't have to worry about Dawn right now. God, who'd have guessed I'd feel safe leaving a child with Spike? It's too weird. And she acts like she doesn't like him—"icky old vamp" she calls him. But I can hear her in there laughing. He's so good with her. The gang doesn't get it, I know. But I have to do what I think's right and for whatever reason I trust him. In a way I don't trust Riley right now. I wish I knew where he was.

##

I feel different. More alive somehow. The vampire I was with tonight, she was pretty gung ho. Took more than usual. I felt light headed for a while. But then she gave some back. I didn't want it at first. Told her I didn't want to turn. She told me I wouldn't. This would help me feel stronger. And she was right. My senses feel amplified. I feel like my old self, like I did before the initiative came crashing down around me. I feel great.

I need Buffy. And she needs me now with all she's going through. I can be with her now. I feel strong again. Feel like someone she could love again. I have to see her.

##

The boy is playing with fire. He doesn't even know how dangerous this game is. He comes in here, barging into the house. Not happy to see me, I can tell you. "Where's Buffy," he demands in that annoyingly stalwart way. Little Bit tells him hospital. I'd have let him guess. Big dumb lug. Where do you think she is? 

I can't be responsible for what comes next. He can't just leave, has to get his digs in. Tries to insult me by calling me a neuter. Better a neutered vamp than a vamp groupie, I retort. His eyes narrow and I press my advantage, goad him with what I know. 

Neither of us realizes she's come back in till she lets out a ragged breath. She's heard it all. Her face is stone. No tears, no hysterics. Just says, "Get out." To him. He tries to argue. She pulls a stake. He swears he isn't a vamp. She just smiles. A very strange smile. "Works on humans, too." He stands around for a moment. Bravely. Or foolishly. She's not having it, her expression even harder. He leaves.

"You knew," she turns on me then and I nod. I tell her she had enough on her mind. She says she needs to know all of it. So I tell her and at the end I warn her to be careful. She tells me the same thing. To watch my back. I'm not sure whether she means from Riley, or from her. 

##

Why? I keep going over it. Trying to see how this could have happened. Trying to understand. I can't. I try to say it was like Dracula. But it isn't thrall because according to Spike it hasn't been the same vampires. He doesn't care who bites him, apparently. What does he think he's doing? Does he want to become them? To become Angel, or Spike, in some sick way? I know since he left the initiative and had to give up his enhanced abilities that things haven't been the same for him. But to do this? Ick. And damn him.

He's going to be after Spike now. I know Riley; he won't let this go. I don't have the energy or the luxury to baby-sit a vampire. He's just going to have to look out for himself. I'm sure he's thought of that and is already planning a new place to spend the daylight hours. Spike's a survivor; I can't worry about him.

But I do worry about Riley. Would he let them turn him? And if he did, could I kill him? I suppose I better have Willow and Tara back over here for an uninvite spell just in case. He's my enemy now. I have to think of him that way. But why?

##

I'll kill him, I rage, as I walk away from her house. I can see one thing and that's Spike. His face and the mocking expression he wore when she ordered me out of her house. If it's the last thing I do, I will make him pay.

She comes out of the darkness. I am alone and then she is there. She is small and dark and mad looking. I am afraid for a moment. Her power is immense. I can feel it in the way she moves, the way she carries herself. As I stare into her eyes I feel my fear drain away. Be in me, she says. And I am. 

I feel her teeth rip into my neck. She is taking so much. Too much. My heart pounds in my ears. I try to struggle but she is too strong.

As everything goes black I feel her lift me up, she moves my lips to her breast. There is blood there. My blood, and hers, mingled together. As I drink, I hear her voice. The voice of my salvation. The voice of my damnation.

As I sink into the stillness that precedes my rebirth, I hear her say, "Don't worry, ducks. We'll make them both pay."

FIN


	2. Not So Stupid

Harmony held up her new treasures. "Spike, please?" 

He didn't even look up from the television. 

"You know I can't do it myself." She was pouting now. It usually worked.

"Oh, all right, but you have to keep it down. _Dawson's Creek_ is about to start."

"Whatever." She happily snatched up her package and hurried over to him. 

He let her settle into his lap then inspected her booty. "More makeup."

"Isn't it the coolest?" She was glad he was so good at doing her face. She hated the thought of not looking her best. And she really wanted to look her best tonight. So she had splurged for this awesome stuff. Eyeliner, liquid of course, harder to put on but she loved the way it looked. Or used to, when she could still see her reflection. She had grabbed every color they had. She saw him reach into the bag for something else. Oh, crap, she thought as she tried to reach it first.

He evaded her hands and held up the receipt. "Harm? Did you pay for this?"

She tried to snatch it out of his hand, but he pulled it away. "Like, duh. I'm a vampire. I take what I want. I just needed a bag so I grabbed this from another customer."

He read the receipt out loud. "Eyeliner peacock $23.00, eyeliner cobalt $23.00, eyeliner jet $23.00. I'm seeing a pattern here."

She turned her best defiant look on him. "Well, I really like this store. I want to be able to go back."

He read a little more of the receipt. "Oh hold on. You charged this?"

She tried not to look guilty. "Ummm."

"You have a charge card? I've been letting you live here free and clear, and you have a bloomin' charge card you forgot to tell me about?"

"Well, it's not exactly mine."

"Whose exactly is it?"

"Daddy's," she mumbled as she reached into the bag and grabbed the first color that came to hand. "You said you'd put this on for me."

He pushed the tube away. "You're using your Father's credit card?"

She shrugged. 

He pushed her off suddenly and stood up. She fell onto the floor, grunting as she hit the cement. He stared down at her. "You told me that you killed your parents."

She began to gather up the contents of her bag. "Just because that's what you and your other sick friends did, doesn't mean I had to do it. I have a mind of my own, you know."

"Actually, that's news to me."

She scowled at him. "I hate it when you get mean like this. What's your problem, anyway?"

"I'm running around, hustling every day for money, reduced to selling information to the slayer and her gang of morons for cash to buy blood, and you've had revolving credit this whole time?"

"So you think I should have let you borrow it? Oh that would look just great. I can see my dad now, 'Gee, honey, why are you buying so much stuff at the liquor store and the butcher?' I'm just sure, Spike." She snickered.

"You still talk to your father?" 

"Yeah, Spike. I still talk to my dad. And to my mom. And to my brother in Boston. What is your deal?"

He stalked toward her. "Maybe you missed the orientation lecture during that graduation kill-fest you were turned at, but vampires don't keep in contact with their families!"

"Cute. There was no lecture, so don't try to trick me. And why shouldn't I keep in contact? I was rich, and I still can be. All it takes is a little bit of work to keep them from worrying about why I don't live with them." She was momentarily distracted as she thought of all her parent's daytime activities. "That would be ugly, I can just see mom rushing in and trying to get me to go out to see her new azalea. That would so bite. This way I can just go home when I want to and I can live you know"—she glanced around the crypt in barely veiled disgust—"other places." At his look, she threw her head back in impatience. "I got the idea from that guy the slayer is doing. You know, secret agent soldier guy. They think I'm working on this really, really secret project. I told them I couldn't talk about it, but that I was protecting the free world."

"And they believed you?"

"Of course they did. My parents believe in giving back to the community. Mom recycles, you know."

"No, Harm, I mean they believed that the government would actually want _you_ for a special project? Other than as a subject of course."

"There you go being mean again. Of course they believed me." She held up an eyeliner and shook it at him. "You're in a really bad mood now. I don't want you to do my eyes anymore." She glanced down at her new gold watch. Now he'd made her late. She moved around the crypt, gathering up her things.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm moving out." She threw the last of her stuff into an expensive carryall and walked over to him. "The slayer seems to have forgotten all about me. And you're never nice anymore. I've been meaning to tell you that I was moving, but you're always out. So, I'm telling you now."

"You can't just leave. How will you fend for yourself? I mean look at you, Harm, you're brain damaged or something."

She hid her hurt. "No, Spike. I'm not. I've had to do a lot of thinking the last few months and I found out something kind of amazing. I can take care of myself. I don't need you or anyone else."

"So you're going off to be by yourself?"

"Of course not. I met this amazing man at that boutique Cordelia was working at before she bailed. I've seen him quite a few times." Not that Spike had even noticed she was out. "Anyway, he's from LA. Has this huge mansion up in Bel Air. It has very thick curtains." She smiled happily. "And he's going to take me to all the cool shops. Versace, Prada, Manolo Blahnik. It will be so perfect."

"So you met another vampire."

"He's not a vampire. He just likes them. You know, really, really likes them. Especially blonde, pretty ones."

"What happened to Harmony the liberated?"

She laughed as she opened the door. "I said I could take care of myself. I didn't say I wanted to. See you around, Spike." She seet her bags down outside, then laughed meanly as she glanced around the crypt. "Or maybe not." 

As she closed the door, she heard the sound of crashing glass. So much for that new bottle of single malt she'd surprised him with. She saw the slayer coming down the path and for once didn't feel like running away. She stood defiantly in her way. "Buffy."

Her enemy looked confused. "Harmony. Shouldn't you be fleeing in terror?"

"I'm moving out." She hoped Buffy was happy now.

"Oh. Gee. That's too bad." Buffy sounded totally not sincere.

She gathered up her things and squared her shoulders. Bel Air was a great place. She was going to be so happy. "Well. Bye and all that."

Buffy stood in her way, seemingly stunned. "Yeah. Bye."

Harmony moved around her, tensed for a moment in anticipation, then relaxed as no stake entered her back. She was already on her way—a powerful, beautiful woman who didn't need Spike to take care of her. She made it five steps before tears began to well. Take care of him, she tried to mentally send to Buffy. Take care of my blondie bear. 

A man got out of a parked limo, opened the door and took her bags as she climbed into the back seat. She saw her new friend waiting for her with a wide smile on his handsome face. He took her hand, bent his lips to touch her skin, then noticed her eyes. "Why are you sad, my lovely one?" His accent was as exquisite as she remembered.

"I'm just happy to see you, Francois." she said as she brushed the tears away. "These are tears of joy."

As the car pulled away she allowed herself one quick look, just long enough to see Spike and Buffy leaving together. She fought back more tears then pasted on a bright smile as she turned back to her companion. "Totally tears of joy."

FIN


	3. Love is Blonde

The knock on the door startled Wesley out of the drowsing state he'd fallen into as soon as he sat down. He glanced at the clock. 4 AM. Too late for any normal person to call. Then again, Wesley wasn't sure that he knew any normal people in LA. 

The knock sounded again. He pushed himself off the couch stiffly and walked to the door. Once there he looked through the peephole. 

No. It couldn't be.

He opened the door. Harmony stood in front of him, giving him that uncertain smile that—and he would never admit this to anyone—completely charmed him. She was a vampire, after all. And she was Harmony. He actually wasn't sure which was worse.

"Hi." Her voice was a mixture of seductive and shy.

"Harmony." He kept his face carefully neutral.

Her smile turned into a pout. "You still don't trust me?"

"In a word, no."

"But I helped."

He grimaced. "I'm not sure that's what I'd call it."

"Well I would." She held up a bag. "Can I come in? I hate to eat alone."

He hesitated.

She pulled out his favorite cheese and package of crackers. "Cordelia told me what you like."

"Cordelia did?"

"Uh-huh." Her voice dropped to a wheedling tone. "Please let me in?"

It was absolutely out of the question that he let her in. He looked into her blue eyes, such bright blue eyes. No. He mustn't be swayed by something so trivial. Blue eyes didn't matter. Neither did long blonde hair that he could imagine running like silk through his fingers. 

Her hand waved in front of his face. "Hello?" Can I come in or what?"

He knew it was wrong, but he moved aside anyway. "Yes. Come in."

She smiled in happy triumph. "Cool," she said as she skipped past him and found his kitchen. She began to rummage around in the cabinets, pulling out plates and a mug. She dug into the sack and pulled out a container of blood. She opened it carefully, poured some in the mug, and slipped it into the microwave. Then she was back in the bag, emerging with the cheese and crackers, an apple, and some sort of pastry thing she set aside with a murmured, "Dessert." She grabbed a knife from block and began to cut the cheese into pieces. Then she stopped and looked up at him worriedly. "You don't prefer it sliced do you? Because I could slice the rest of it."

He shook his head. "No. The way you're doing it is fine."

She looked relieved. "Oh good." She went back to cutting the cheese then laid it out with the crackers. She sliced the apple and added it to the plate. 

The microwave sounded and she pulled out the mug, testing the temperature with her finger. Satisfied, she slowly sucked the blood off her finger. 

Wesley stared entranced. It was a moment before he realized that she was speaking to him. "Hmm, what?"

"I said, if you want something to drink, now's a good time to get it."

"Yes. Quite." He took a beer from the refrigerator and followed her into the dining room. He was still not sure why he'd let her in. He helped himself to some food and was surprised to see her pick a few pieces as well. "You eat?"

"Sure. Why? Doesn't Angel?"

"Well...not really."

"His loss." She shrugged. "Spike says it's a waste to go without things that taste good." 

"Oh yes...Spike. We heard that you'd broken it off with him."

"You heard right. What a jerk he turned out to be."

"Well, he is a vampire." He instantly regretted the comment, but she didn't seem to take offense.

"And so am I, but you didn't see me running around behind his back." She drained her mug and went into the kitchen.

He heard her pour more blood into the mug, then the sound of the microwave. "Is that your normal way of feeding?" he called into the kitchen.

"Well, duh," she answered as she came back to the table.

"You don't, um, get it fresh?"

"This is fresh. Or mostly anyway. At least that's what the butcher said." She nibbled on an apple slice then dunked it into the blood.

Wesley watched her and wondered when he'd lost the ability to be disgusted. Too much time spent with vampires and demons probably. "I mean, do you ever get it from a human?"

She flipped her hair out of her face. "Oh. Nope." She dipped a piece of cheese into the mug.

"Why not? I mean, you are a vampire. A normal vampire. No chip or soul to get in your way?"

"Well there's the Slayer. She takes a dim view of us killing innocent people. And you know what, they tend to be the ones that are appealing: well dressed, value personal hygiene, drive nice cars. But Buffy has made them so off limits. And the ones she won't care about us killing are pretty skanky. I mean the smell alone is enough to turn your stomach."

She stretched luxuriously. Wesley tried not to stare at her chest. "So the Slayer gave you some trouble?"

"Oh, nothing I couldn't handle. But for a while there I was her arch-nemesis."

"I hadn't heard."

She looked irritated. "Oh, I totally was."

He tried to placate her. "I'm sure you gave her all kinds of trouble."

"You bet. But it got old always staying one step ahead of her. I can't tell you how good it feels to be in a town that doesn't have a slayer."

He pushed up his glasses. "Actually, we do."

She looked shocked. "What? Buffy moved to LA?"

"No, Faith is here."

"Who the hell is Faith?"

"A slayer."

Harmony's eyes narrowed. "Ok, why do they call Buffy 'The' Slayer if there are others running around? I really think that it should be 'a' instead of 'the'."

He laughed. "Well it's a bit of a fluke that there are two. And if it makes you feel better, Faith is in prison."

She brightened. "It totally does."

He studied her. "I'm surprised Spike didn't tell you about Faith."

"Oh, Spike left a lot of things out. I guess he thought I already knew. Or maybe he was too busy being all moony over Buffy to bother to tell me."

"Yes. That was a surprise to hear that he harbored feelings for her."

"You think it was a surprise to you? Try being his girlfriend."

"Yes, I guess that would be hard."

Harmony studied him. "You've never met Spike, have you?"

Wesley smiled at her over his beer. "No. One evil fiend I've managed to miss."

She looked into her mug, her hair falling over her face. "I guess I was in that category too, huh?"

He couldn't help staring at her. She was the picture of shy innocence. "I'm having trouble fitting you into the evil fiend role."

She looked up and gave him a dazzling smile. "Really?"

He nodded.

"Oh that is so sweet." Her smile became even bigger. "I don't know why Cordy says you're such a sourpuss. You're totally nice as far as I'm concerned."

"Cordelia calls me a sourpuss?"

Harmony made a disparaging gesture. "Oh you know how she is. So judgmental. But didn't she have a crush on you back in high school?"

"It was a mutual attraction but a short lived one, I'm afraid."

"How come?"

Wesley thought back to that moment in the library when he and Cordelia had finally acted on their desire. The passion had been there, but the execution had fizzled. He'd never fully understood why. But it had definitely not worked between them. "I'm not sure."

"Hmmm. Well, if I'd been there, I would not have let you go."

Wesley felt unaccountably pleased. 'You wouldn't?"

"No way." She leaned in and practically purred. "You're a total hottie, you know."

Again the rush of pleasure. "I am?"

"Oh yeah." Harmony leaned in closer. "Cordy also told me that your girlfriend just broke up with you."

He thought of Virginia and how much it had hurt to lose her. They had seemed so well matched.

Harmony's voice interrupted his musings. "You look so sad. I think that's what I look like when I think of my blondie bear. But, I mean, it's not like I can check, you know?"

He was a little confused by the twists in her logic.

"I mean because I can't use a mirror now. And boy does that put a crimp on the makeover gig." She studied him intently. "I don't suppose you know how to put on makeup?"

He puffed himself up at the insult. "I should say not!"

"Bummer," she dismissed his outrage. Then she brightened again. "Hey, maybe you could learn? We could go to the mall and I'd pretend that I was blind and you could tell them you wanted to learn how to make me look pretty."

Now he was really lost. "Blind?"

"Well I guess we could tell the truth, but it might freak the makeup artist out and they never do their best work when they're upset."

Wesley was still processing the first part of her idea. "We?"

"I've been watching you, Wesley. And I've seen you looking at me. I just thought..." She trailed off as she rose and moved slowly around the table. "Unless you don't like me," she practically purred as she slid her hands around his neck and down the front of his shirt. He could feel her pressed against his back. Her breath was cool as she whispered in his ear, "Maybe you don't find me attractive?"

He was about to answer when the sensation of her lips nibbling at his ear pushed all rational thought from his mind. "Errr."

"Shh. Don't talk." Her lips moved to his neck. 

Oh, sweet Lord, he thought, not sure if he was begging for mercy or giving thanks. Then he tensed, waiting to see if she was going to bite him—this really would not be something he looked forward to explaining to Angel et al in the morning.

But she moved away from his neck, and slid onto his lap. Blue eyes first seductive, then suddenly pleading with him to touch her, trust her—like her. Feelings of protectiveness fought with arousal. "Harmony." He tried her name out.

She gave him a sweet smile.

He leaned in and kissed her. There was a moment of awkwardness, then they found a rhythm. He was lost. He sensed she was, too.

Not willing to think better of what he suddenly wanted desperately, he pushed her out of his lap and followed her up.

She looked bereft until he scooped her up and she giggled with delight. As he carried her into the bedroom, she whispered, "Are you sure, Wesley?"

He laughed. The first honest laugh he'd had in many weeks. "Oh, I'm very, very sure." Suddenly he remembered his manners. "Unless you're not."

Her answer was unequivocal as she kissed him soundly. Finally she pulled away enough to ask, "But what about dessert?"

He gave her an evil grin. "I believe I'm holding it."

FIN


End file.
